12:00 PM.
　After finally finishing my meeting with my business partner, I turned the turnstile and waited for my train on the station platform.

　Even though it's only in the morning, I'm not happy about working on a Saturday when Tenna has a class visit.
　But I decided to take it, deciding that I should do my best.

　Even so, the meeting took a long time and I ended up being 30 minutes over schedule.

　Well, I had expected that point, so there was no problem if I delayed the train a bit.
　

　Apparently, it was worth it for me to increase my walking speed to get to the station so that I could get there as quickly as possible.

　I wasn't able to go to that little girl's sunny day at the nursery school recitals and during the sports day because of work.
　Especially the first time I made her cry, and I had a lot of regret in my heart for the next time.

　But finally........I was hoping so much that my cheeks loosened in anticipation that I would finally get to see Tenna's hard work up close and personal.

　Just by imagining my daughter, who was guessed by the teacher in class, solving the problems brilliantly, I can feel the fatigue that accumulated in the morning being washed away by the water.

　I'm sure she's cute.......I'd even take a picture of her with my phone if I could

　It would be a waste of time to get lost in thought and miss the train, wouldn't it?
　I tried to restrain myself, but the train didn't arrive until the time was up.

　Is the train running late?
　You can still get away for a bit, and you might want to consider running or taking a taxi when you get off the station over there.

　.........

　.........

　................Strange.

　It's almost 20 minutes past the scheduled time, but the train hasn't come to the platform at all.
　I'm not the only one who feels this way; I can see the impatience and frustration on the faces of the people on the platform as well.

　Of course, I feel the same way, and if I don't, I won't be able to get to school before classes start.
　Like a stain that cannot be removed no matter how much I wash it, the anxiety that cannot be wiped away makes me feel a pain that feels like I've pricked a needle in my heart.

　─ ─ Peen pong pong pong.....

"!

　Soon, I heard something on the platform.
　I was almost relieved to hear that the train was almost here, but then I heard an announcement



"Attention passengers. We are currently dealing with a personal accident in this lane. The train is currently stopped as we are dealing with the situation. We are currently taking care of the situation. We apologize for the delay.

What?

　The broadcast was merciless.
　When I heard it, I was shocked to lose my footing.

　~~~~~~~~

　-What do I do, what do I do, what do I do, what do I do, what do I do!

　As I left the platform and returned to the front of the station, I was thinking frantically with my head in my hands.
　My thoughts are trapped in a circle with the same words listed endlessly, and time passes in vain with no solution in sight.
　Others complained to the station attendant about the train being late, but I didn't have the luxury of time to deal with the fact that I couldn't make it to Tenna's class visit.

　We already have less than 15 minutes before the class visit starts.

''Tenna........Tenna.......!

　Even though I know it's futile, I try desperately to maintain a sense of normalcy by saying my beloved daughter's name, but my head is filled with penitence.
　And so it is.
　I promised her that I would definitely go to visit her class, and now I'm going to break my promise by doing this.

　I swore that I would never let her get sad again, so why is it that only today there is a personal injury accident...!

　I'm on the verge of tears from the impatience of not being able to keep my promise and the anger at the accident.
　I understand that it's a backhanded resentment against the accident, but I still can't help but take out this inexorable feeling.

　Buses didn't go from here to outside the city where Tenna's school is located, and even if it was a taxi, unfortunately, none of them stopped at the moment.
　We looked at other ways to get there like this, but we were already hamstrung.
　Naturally, I don't need to think about the fact that by the time I arrived on foot, the class visit was long over.

''Tenna, I'm sorry........''

　I utter an apology to Tenna, who is not here and is probably still waiting for me.

　Come to think of it, it was always always this way.
　The nursery school presentation was over while I was dealing with a sticky creeper, and the sports day passed while I was busy cleaning up the mistakes Yamaki-san made, and I couldn't go.

　During the last sports day at the nursery school, Tenna made me say something I never thought I would say, 'I don't care if I have to work'.

　I didn't want him to feel that way, so I told him that I couldn't come to work today, but I didn't want him to have to pay the bill for the paid leave of Mr. Yamaki and the others....
　Of course I couldn't say no to him when he was begging me to do something that was so important to the company that we couldn't fail!
　If you think you can make it in time because it's only in the morning, you'll end up like this....

"You promised me...!　You smiled so happily at me...!

　Isn't this the equivalent of betraying that girl........　

　My heart was filled with guilt with no part of a gap between us.　
　What kind of mother is she if she can't keep her promise to her daughter?
　Am I........not even allowed to see Tenna's sunny day.......?

　I can't face her like this.

Ugh..............

　At last, my tear glands break down and tears flow down my face at my own so pathetic and unworthy attitude.
　I'll be 25 years old this year already, but how very unpopular I am.......

　

　Stuck in a helpless cul-de-sac, I gave up trying to stand and squatted down on the spot, folding my knees.
　I can't even pay attention to my surroundings........

　I was overwhelmed by the sorrow of betraying Tenna, and I was terrified of the worst possible future where that girl would hate me........







''──Minami-san?''
What?

　I heard the voice of someone I recognized just recently.
　I look up, forgetting to wipe my tears, and turn my gaze towards the voice.

''It's Minami-san, after all. What's the matter with you, squatting here?
Seriously, Mr. Ga...?

　The man with whom I had a strange relationship, who had become Tenna's friend without regard to the age difference, was looking at me curiously.